Something Out Of Nothing
by Somewhere Nowhere
Summary: AU. Harry is an outcast, isolated at home and at school. Before the begining of his third year, a meeting with a giant black dog will change his life forever... Yes, I know the summary sucks. Will be eventual Harry/Sirius slash (after Harry is legal!)
1. Rainy August

Disclaimer: I DON'T own Harry Potter or I would be able to afford a car that doesn't want to die on me.

September 1st, 1991

King's Cross was busy. The train station was loud and crowded, people seeming to fill every corner. Eleven year old Harry Potter had never been in a place like this before. "Get going boy! If you miss that train and we have to put up with you for the ten months we were supposed to be rid of you, you will be sorry. Understood?" His uncle Vernon shoved him forward roughly and closed the car door. With a last purple faced glare at Harry, he drove out of the station.

Alone and nervous, Harry picked up his trunk and owl cage and hauled them to a trolley. His recently sprained ankle ached in protest, but he ignored it and wandered towards the platforms. "Nine and three quarters, nine and three quarters," whispering under his breath, he scanned the plaques holding numbered signs. No platform 9 ¾. Feeling a cold sweat break out over his body, he looked again hoping it would magically appear.

He was close to tears when a large family of redheads passed nearby. "All these muggles! This place is packed!" His eyes snapped to the woman who had spoken. He watched quietly as she instructed her children to run through the solid brick wall between platforms. His eyes widened in amazement as they disappeared and he hurried to follow.

Closing his eyes and bracing himself, he rushed through the wall. A slight tingling feeling brushed his skin, and he found himself standing near a large red steam engine. Hogwarts Express was printed in fine gold letters across the side. With a small smile of relief, Harry boarded the train and found an empty compartment. He was just about to stow his trunk and sit down when the door opened.

"Out kid. This compartment is taken." A tall boy, sixteen or seventeen glared down at Harry. Knowing better than to protest, Harry nodded and tugged his trunk back out of the compartment. The door slammed behind him and he looked up and down the corridor. Not wanting a repeat of the incident with the upper years, he began making his way down the train. He stopped at a door at the very back. Sliding it open, he saw it was a small cargo compartment, littered with trunks and animal cages. Harry walked in and set his trunk down. Squeezing himself into a somewhat clear corner, he set Hedwig's cage on his lap and closed his eyes.

"Slytherin!" The sorting hat's declaration rang out through the suddenly silent hall. The small dark haired boy wearing it cautiously removed the hat and looked around with wary eyes. "Over there Mr. Potter," a sharp voice instructed. The stern witch that had led them to the hall pointed to a table near the far wall. Harry nodded and stepped around her carefully. He was well aware of the kinds of things that accompanied a tone like that at home.

The sorting ended with Zacharias Smith and more food than Harry had ever seen appeared on the tables. He looked around at his housemates. The Slytherins gave him pointed glares and subtle looks of aristocratic disgust before deciding to ignore him. Used to being ignored, Harry quickly filled his plate and began eating. He managed two bites before he noticed the whispering. "The boy who lived is in Slytherin?" "Wonder if You Know Who's attack messed up his head." "Didn't think _he'd _ever be a slimy snake." "I reckon his ma and dad would prolly disown him, if they could see him now."

Disappointment flooding him, Harry ducked his head and kept eating. He was used to that too. People saying bad things about him. Apparently it wasn't going to be any different here. A glass of juice spilled over his plate. "Sorry Potter, didn't see you there," an upperclassman sneered at him. Biting his lip, Harry pushed his plate away and walked out of the hall. The wizarding world wasn't so great after all.

Three Years Later:

The park was empty. Not surprising really, since it was raining so hard that it was difficult to see more than a few feet in front of you. Not a soul could be seen, most people having the sense to stay in doors. It was unseasonably cold for August. Harry shivered and huddled further under the old metal slide. The play park had been there for as long as he could remember. Whenever Dudley's gang had played "Harry Hunting", the park had always had nice tall trees for him to hide in. Now, when Aunt Petunia had kicked him out of the house for the night, it was the only place he could think of to go to.

He'd sent Hedwig to stay with Hagrid before he'd left school. It was safer for her there and it wasn't like he had any friends to write to him over the summer anyway. Bitterly, he remembered Dumbledore's warnings to not leave the house during summer break. Since Quirrel helped Voldemort return Harry's first year, nowhere was safe. He snorted. Well Dumbledore would just have to get over it. It wasn't really like he wanted to be sitting out here in the rain after all. Closing his eyes, he rested his head against the cold metal sheltering him. _Just two more days 'til September first. _School wasn't great, but at least he had enough to eat there.

A crackling sound to his left startled him. Looking around curiously, he spotted a large black mass of fur huddling in some nearby bushes. His heart pounding in his throat, he crouched under the slide praying that the big animal wouldn't notice him. Slowly, he carefully eased out from his hiding place keeping his eyes on the dog at all times. He froze as a twig snapped under his foot. Big grey eyes rose up to meet his.

Sirius Black couldn't believe his eyes at first. Either he was seeing a ghost or Azkaban really had driven him mad. He ran his gaze over the thin body in a too large shirt, the familiar face, the green eyes, the messy dark hair…green eyes? He studied the boy again carefully. Large almond shaped green eyes stared back at him, wide with fear. _Harry? _Sirius whined and crept forward on his belly, trying his best to look non threatening. Harry hesitated and slowly held out a shaking hand for Sirius to sniff. He did so, giving it a sloppy lick before sinking back to the ground and wagging his tail. His godson, his little prongslet that he hadn't seen in thirteen years was right in front of him!

Harry regarded the dog carefully. The thing was huge with dirty, matted fur and easily visible ribs. Pity stirring in his stomach he patted it gently, smiling as it licked his hand again. "You don't have anywhere else to go either, huh?" The dog cocked it's head looking almost confused before whining sadly and nudging it's cold nose into his hand. Harry sneezed. "Come on, there should be just enough room," he ducked back under the slide and patted the ground in front of him. "Come on big guy." The dog slinked in out of the rain and curled up on Harry's feet.

Sirius opened his eyes sleepily and looked around. The rain had stopped, but the ground was still wet and muddy. The sun was out though and it was much warmer than the night before. He down over at his godson who was huddled in a ball, half under Sirius. He could feel the boy's slim hands buried in his dirty fur. _Why was Lily and James' son spending the night in a park somewhere when it was raining? _Sirius could feel how skinny his godson was and he had noticed last night the oversized, ragged clothing.

Sirius didn't like the picture he was getting, and a sharp feeling of guilt stabbed his chest. _If I hadn't been such an idiot, I would've been the one raising Harry. _Getting carefully to his feet, he made up his mind.

Marlene Hollis hummed cheerfully as she cooked breakfast. If she had looked out the window then, she would've seen a dog turning into a man in the park across the street. While he was gently picking up a dark haired teenager, she was methodically breaking eggs over a hot skillet. Saturdays were always her favorite day of the week.


	2. Confessions

Harry awoke and immediately came to the conclusion he was still dreaming. After all, he had fallen asleep in the park last night under the slide. The dusty room and the unfamiliar, raggedy bed he was lying in must simply be his imagination. "Harry?" Harry bolted upright at the quiet voice.

A worn looking, almost skeletal man sat in a chair near the bed. He stared at Harry with a kind of gentle, pleading expression no one had ever directed at him before. For a moment Harry froze, caught by those dark blue eyes. Then the man leaned forward slightly and Harry snapped into action. He rolled off the far side of the bed and grabbed the nearest possible weapon. Holding the old fashioned hand mirror threateningly ( it was made out of glass and pure silver and was decently heavy), Harry faced the man. He was determined he wouldn't let this deatheater (or pervert, whichever) see him afraid.

Sirius was startled at the change from the gentle boy who had shared his meager shelter the night before, to the defensive creature standing before him. Harry had paled drastically and had a hunted, wild look like a cornered animal. His heart breaking, Sirius held out both hands and tried to look non-threatening. "Wh-what do you want with me?" He watched the slim hands tighten convulsively around the mirror. In his seldom used, scratchy voice Sirius slowly began to explain. "Harry, I'm your godfather." Harry's face twisted in disbelief. "My godfather?" Sirius nodded. "Then where have you been all these years? If you're really my godfather, why wasn't I sent to live with you in the first place?"

Harry felt a flicker of pain in his chest as the man claimed to be his godfather. He snorted. Between this man and the Dursleys, Harry had sure lucked out with family. Giving the man his best sneer, he asked the obvious and watched the man's face crumble. Slow tears rolled down the sunken cheeks and Harry felt a quick flash of guilt before ruthlessly pushing it aside. "Well?" He demanded. In a halting, broken voice the man began to explain.

"I was in Azkaban," Sirius flinched as he said it. His body shivered involuntarily. "Why?" Harry asked. Taking a deep breath, Sirius explained it all. The carefree school days, his close friendship with James, the prophecy, and Pettigrew's betrayal. As he spoke, he watched Harry's expression freeze. Slowly, it turned to anger and then grief. "It was my fault. If I hadn't persuaded James to use Peter instead…" He closed his eyes. He heard movement, but didn't look. He couldn't bear to see the hatred and blame on his godson's face. When a soft hand rested on his arm, his eyes flew open in shock.

"I don't blame you," Harry told the man softly. Harry wanted to be angry. He wanted someone to blame his crappy life on. Of course there was Voldemort and Dumbledore, but it wasn't like he could make either of them regret it. This man had made stupid choices and had trusted the wrong person, but Harry found to his surprise that he couldn't hate the fragile man in front of him. This man had spent 13 years in hell, he had more than paid for any mistakes he'd made.

Harry sighed and started to move away, but was startled as the convict grabbed him and pulled him into a rough hug. "Harry…Harry…Harry.." The man mumbled over and over into his hair. His thin body trembled violently. "I'm sorry Harry. Please f-forgive me." Ignoring the man's unwashed smell and dirty clothing, Harry gingerly hugged the man back. "It's all right." And suddenly it was. This strange man was as alone and unloved as Harry. _We're really alike. _Feeling a strange new kinship with his godfather, Harry patiently let the man cry himself out and then helped him to the bed. "Sleep and we'll talk more later," He hesitated a moment, then added, "Sirius."

Sirius smiled slightly as Harry used his name, then sank onto the mattress. He was exhausted but happier than he had been in thirteen years. With a silent thanks to whatever deities had helped him find his godson, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

Harry watched his godfather sleep for a long moment before walking over to the room's lone window. Looking out, he realized he was in an unfamiliar neighborhood. _I wonder where we are. _Running his fingers over the glass he considered the conversation with Sirius. Something was nagging at him…he was missing something. Suddenly his eyes widened then narrowed. He knew exactly where Pettigrew was.

**Hmmm…I wasn't really sure about this chapter. Maybe a Slytherin Harry forgave/believed Sirius too soon. I was looking at it as Harry being really lonely and wanting SOMEONE to care about him (even if it's his slightly deranged godfather he didn't know existed). I think too he'd appreciate Sirius's honesty with him. Anyway I'll try and make the next chapter a bit longer ^^ Thank you guys~!**


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